Securing the future

For the second time in 10 years, Michael Reardon has come out of semi-retirement to temporarily fill a top spot at Portland State, this time taking over as university interim president on June 15.

“Why would I do this? Largely because I was asked,” he said. “It was necessary that they have someone come in as interim.”

As PSU’s president for the next academic year, Reardon said his job will mostly be one of maintenance–keeping things in order for the president who will likely take over permanently next June.

“It’s a question of trying to see that what has already been planned. We’re able to carry forward and set up a foundation for a new president that will have some directions already in place,” Reardon said.

Next year, PSU will begin to lay the groundwork for a new capital construction campaign, as well as work with the Board of Higher Education, who will be forming subcommittees to examine how well the higher education system serves Oregon communities and citizens. Reardon will not be a member of the committees, but will have significant input.

PSU Provost Roy Koch said the president’s role working with and giving feedback to these committees will be very important.

“The president will help represent PSU in terms of interacting with the committee,” said Koch.

Reardon has been at PSU for over four decades. He transplanted here from Kansas City, Miss., in September of 1964 to take a job as a history professor. He eventually became the director of the University Studies Honors Program and later the vice provost of Academic Affairs. He retired in 1999.

That same year, he received a grant from the Tokyo Foundation “to study administrative development processes in five Asian universities,” according to his curriculum vitae. As interim president, he will travel to Toyko later this month to participate in a board meeting for PSU’s sister school, Waseda University.

Since his retirement, Reardon has continued to teach in the history department. He also served as interim provost and vice president in 2004. He taught until spring term of this year.

The State Board of Higher Education appointed him interim president in early June, after former PSU President Daniel O. Bernstine announced that he would be leaving Portland State to take a position as the CEO and President of the Law School Admissions Council.

Reardon said he is absolutely certain the new president will not be him.

“Absolutely not. No circumstances whatsoever,” Reardon was quoted as saying.

When Reardon’s tenure as interim president is over, he plans to go back into retirement.

“I think that’s going to be pretty much all I’m going to do after this,” he said.

“I think he’s a good choice for the interim president,” Koch said. “He has years of experience and understands the institution very well. He supports our current mission.”

Koch and Reardon, as well as Vice President for Finance and Administration Lindsay Desrochers, have worked together for several years in various capacities. Reardon appointed Koch to the position of provost in 2005.

“All of us have a good, strong personal relationship,” Koch said. “This is like old times all over again.”

The State Board of Higher Education formed a selection committee charged with finding a permanent replacement to fill the position of president in May. The Board hopes to begin interviewing applicants by fall, and to have a narrowed list of candidates by Jan. 1. The committee is expecting to choose the replacement to take office sometime next year, and may decide on the new president as early as Feb. 1.